From cosmetics, schools, toffees to hospitals and more

NEWDELHI: From schools to shampoos and hair oil to hospitals, Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, the flamboyant self-styled guru convicted of rape by a court on Friday, runs an empire that would be the envy of any business tycoon.

His Dera Sacha Sauda, a quasireligious cult with hundreds of thousands of followers, offers a wide variety of products and educational and health services, its website states.

Often called guru of bling — a reference to his fondness for colourful robes and glares that glitter — the Dera chief, who studied up to Class 10, runs 11 schools and two colleges, including a management institute, it says.

Sacha Sauda — described as the place of real truth — also has factories for confectionery products in its sprawling headquarters on the outskirts of Sirsa city in Haryana, Sirsa residents said.

As per website, the dera sells hundreds of products, from grocery items and clothes to batteries, mostly under the brand name MSG. MSG is a possible allusion to his 2014 debut film “Messenger of God”, which he co-produced, directed and acted in. Cinema is another of his passions. He has directed and appeared as hero in four films. A fifth is slated to be released this year. Dera claims the films all crossed ₹100-crore mark. Food items such as biscuits, toffees and confectioneries are produced by the dera itself, while most products are manufactured by other groups under the brand name MSG.

The dera sells cosmetics products — including 9-9 hair oil and 7-7 shampoo — online. Last year, MSG All Trading International Pvt Ltd, a Dera Sacha Sauda firm, introduced 151 products, including food items, the site says.

It states that it runs three hospitals — an ayurvedic centre, a naturopathy institute and a multi-speciality hospital — in Sirsa.

Educational institutes are in Haryana, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. “Nominal amounts are charged for services in hospitals and schools, this is mostly charitable work,” a Dera supporter said.